Silver Grade Basics

What this topic covers

Understand grams per tonne, ounces per tonne and contained metal without treating grade as mine profitability.

Core mine-to-refinery ideas

Ore grade expresses silver concentration in a mass of rock or processed material.

Contained silver is calculated from tonnage and grade before considering recovery losses.

Profitability also depends on mining cost, recovery, byproduct credits, infrastructure, prices and many other factors.

Important tradeoffs

Mineralogy and associated metals determine which treatment route is appropriate.

Measurement and accounting

Contained metal, recovered metal and refined product are different accounting quantities.

Lifecycle perspective

This site ends at refined silver; downstream industrial applications are covered by the companion silver-use site.